Set for this November, the Xbox One release date as well as specs have gamers everywhere salivating. Earlier this week Microsoft confirmed a report that the Xbox One will allow users make and publish their own indie games courtesy of an internal developers kit.
The statement by Xbox Chief Product Officer Marc Whitten read,
“Our vision is that every person can be a creator. That every Xbox One can be used for development. That every game and experience can take advantage of all of the features of Xbox One and Xbox LIVE. This means self-publishing. This means Kinect, the cloud, achievements. This means great discoverability on Xbox LIVE. We’ll have more details on the program and the timeline at gamescom in August.
This could be just what the Xbox One needs to separate itself from perpetual rival PlayStation 4. Both consoles have been compared tirelessly but with both platforms boasting next-generation technology. But after Microsoft upset Xbox One fans with the possibility of strict DRM restrictions, the PS4 gained some slight momentum. Microsoft execs were back in gamers good graces, though, after listening to their pleas and rescinding the restrictions.
Now neck-and-neck again, it’s important to consider that the PlayStation 4 developer kits go for a reported $2,500 a pop, though it will come will with a one-year free subscription.
Whether the Xbox One developer kit turns out to be a boom or bust is any gamers best guess, but some still have the sour taste of the Xbox 360’s in their mouth. The Huffington Post notes that “other developers however are unable to forget their sour experiences developing for the 360. ‘I’m not ready to forget what I went through,’ developer Brian Provinciano told Engadget. ‘Working with Microsoft was the unhappiest point of my career. Policies are one thing, but developer relations are another.'”
As for the highly-anticipated Xbox One here’s what you can expect. For $499 in November, users will get:
Instant Switching
A voice activated function, Instant Switching lets the user seamlessly switch from live television to gaming to movies. Hand cues such as extending arms towards the Kinect camera and grasping and minimizing in mid-air selects the screen and subsequently minimizes it for the ability to toggle between screens.
Snap Mode
Similar to Instant Switching, Snap Mode lets the user split the screen between multiple entertainment platforms. Yusuf Mehdi demonstrated Snap Mode at the Reveal Event by using the new sports offering as an example. Users can watch their favorite sports game all the while receiving live stat updates for their favorite Fantasy athletes as they watch highlights and update their roster–all on the same screen.
Guide
The Xbox One Guide lets users take advantage of the same voice recognition technology to find, watch, and keep up with their favorite shows. Favorites and Trending likewise lets users navigate through television channels to find shows they love and make it easy to stay up to date with the latest drama.
Skype
Skype will also be available on the Xbox One. The Kinect cam allows for group video calls on TV during Snap Mode. When the notification appears on the top of the screen, all the user has to do is say “Answer call” and Snap Mode will run, splitting the screen between whatever entertainment you’re engaged in as well as your Skype call.
Kinect
All of these new features and operations are made possible with an updated Kinect. The motion-sensing 1080p camera lens understands joint rotations, balance and weight distribution, and even reads the user’s heart beat which of course will be great for using Xbox One for exercise, but it also bolsters the fact that motion-detection for navigating the One will be silky smooth.
Under the Hood
As for the specs, as previously thought they were a bit limited but Microsoft did confirm some of the rumors. The Xbox One will run on an 8-core CPU, feature 8GB of RAM, offer 500GB HDD, boast a Blu-ray drive, and connect through a wireless Wi-Fi direct and HDMI input/output.
The Reveal Event, E3, and Comic-Con 2013 all offered glimpses into the new line of games and entertainment poised to be outfitted for the Xbox One. A pre-recorded Steven Spielberg video introduced a just-for-TV series of Halo, while NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell mentioned a new deal with the NFL and Microsoft to take advantage of the sports offering feature.
Games
New games from EA Sports will include contemporary versions of FIFA, Madden Football, NBA Live, and UFC. Microsoft Studios is all poised to release 15 new games, including 8 completely brand new franchises, which will be made available later this year and debuted at E3 back in June and Comic-Con earlier this month to much fanfare.
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